Warfield on the Trinity (part 2/4)

By Fred Zaspel–

Last time we saw B.B. Warfield’s demonstration of “presupposed” Trinitarian thinking in the common Christian phrase, “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He finds further evidence of this “presupposed” Trinitarianism in 1 Corinthians 8:4-6.

 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.”  For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth – as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords” – yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

 Paul’s argument here, of course, rests on a firm assertion of monotheism: “there is no God but one” (v. 4) This point governs Paul’s point: there is only one God. False gods and lords are many (v. 5), but only one God. But Paul reaffirms this statement of monotheism in language that reflects a settled Trinitarian understanding of God: “yet for us there is one God, the Father . . . , and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ” (v. 6). Two are mentioned, but his point in it is to refute pagan polytheism: “there is but one God—the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only God who exists.” Paul could hardly be understood as saying that these two Gods demonstrate that there is only one God. His point, clearly, is that these two who are God, are one God, the only God who is.

Again, the language reflects a firmly established Trinitarian understanding that was shared by the original Christians.

 (For more on this see The Theology of B.B. Warfield: A Systematic Summary)

Fred Zaspel holds a Ph.D. in historical theology from the Free University of Amsterdam. He is currently a pastor at the Reformed Baptist Church of Franconia, PA. He is also the interim Senior Pastor at New Hyde Park Baptist Church on New York’s Long Island, and Adjunct Professor of Systematic Theology at Calvary Baptist Seminary in Lansdale, PA. He is also the author of The Continuing Relevance of Divine Law (1991); The Theology of Fulfillment (1994); Jews, Gentiles, & the Goal of Redemptive History (1996); New Covenant Theology with Tom Wells (New Covenant Media); The Theology of B.B. Warfield: A Systematic Summary (Crossway, 2010). Fred is married to Kimberly and they have two grown children, Gina and Jim.